Folding knives are well known and generally are constructed having a handle which may incorporate liners. A blade is pivotally secured to the forward end of the handle generally by a pivot extending through the tang area of the blade. In the retracted position the blade is positioned within the handle between the liners with the sharpened edge in a protected or sheathed position. In the retracted position, the knife may be more safely carried or handled.
When it is desired to use the knife, the blade is pivoted to a position extending forwardly from the handle. The blade is manually pivoted by the user to the open position sometimes with the assistance of a finger notch near the spine of the blade.
In order to enhance the safety of folding knives, various locking arrangements have been proposed in the prior art. Many of these arrangements utilize a single button or slide which is actuated or depressed to displace a locking pin or element to allow the blade to be folded either to the extending or retracted position. However, many of these locking arrangements are complex, not lending themselves to incorporation in current folding knives designs and are subject to accidental release. Further, many prior art folding knife locking mechanisms are aesthetically objectionable particularly with many specialty and expensive custom knives.